This invention relates to an apparatus for hanging a sign from a ceiling.
In stores and similar situations where display signs are required, it is often desirable to suspend a sign from the ceiling so that it can depend downwardly toward the passersby in a particular area of the building within which the sign is located. Many buildings are clad with a suspended ceiling in the form of a plurality of parallel longitudinal support bars each of which defines a horizontal flange along each side onto which an edge of an acoustic ceiling panel is placed with the panel spanning the space between one bar and the next adjacent bar.
It is highly desirable, therefore, to be able to provide an arrangement which attaches to the suspended ceiling and can support a suspended sign or banner at any required location across the ceiling.
One example of an arrangement of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,165 [Grant] and this comprises a clip member which engages over the conventional T-runner of the ceiling at the flange of the T. The clip then receives a sign engaging and supporting member which snaps around the clip. This arrangement is disadvantageous in that it is limited to a particular orientation that is longitudinally of the T-runners and in addition the attachment of the elements to the ceiling is relatively difficult and requires generally a person to climb up to a position at the ceiling. This is undesirable both from the point of view of the necessity for stepladders and the like and from the point of view of the danger of climbing.
Another example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,972 [Propst] which discloses a similar form of clip with a channel at one end for engaging onto a support. However again the clip is of a type which requires the installer to climb to the height of the support and again there is little ability for adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,672 [Askesjo] discloses a teaching aid which is suspended from the ceiling. This comprises a frame arrangement which is firstly attached to the ceiling and on this is carried a bracket which supports a roll map, screen or the like. This arrangement is not intended for nor suitable for attachment to the T-bars of a suspended ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,274 [Izenour] discloses a special form of ceiling arrangement defining tracks which can receive a horizontal head of a vertical support stud attached to a sign. This system requires a special form of suspended ceiling and thus is unsuitable for already existing conventional types of ceilings.
Other patents that have been identified in this field are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,412,478 [Osher], 4,229,913 [Corrigan], 4,646,997 [Fadley], 2,650,056 [Masoner] and 2,074,660 [Masoner]. None of these is relevant to the support of a sign on a conventional suspended ceiling arrangement.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved support apparatus for hanging a sign from a suspended ceiling in which the sign and the apparatus can be attached to the ceiling from ground level without the necessity for climbing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of this type which is readily attached to a suspended ceiling without difficulty and without damaging the ceiling itself.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of this general type in which the orientation of the sign can be adjusted regardless of the orientation of the ceiling structure.